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Andrea zipping up the East Coast

Published: Friday, June 7, 2013 at 01:37 PM.

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Another threat to Florida's coast was storm surge, said Eric Blake, a hurricane specialist at the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami. The hurricane center said coastal areas from Tampa Bay north to Apalachicola could see storm surge of 2 to 5 feet, depending on the storm's progress and timing of high tide.

Gulf Islands National Seashore closed its campgrounds and the road that runs through the popular beach-front park Wednesday. The national seashore abuts Pensacola Beach and the park road frequently floods during heavy rains.

Altogether, 30 state parks closed their campgrounds in Florida.

Meanwhile, south Georgia residents were bracing for high winds and heavy rains that could lead to flooding.

On Cumberland Island off the Georgia cost, the National Park Service was evacuating campers as the storm approached.

MIAMI (AP) — After bringing rains, heavy winds and even tornadoes to parts of Florida, Tropical Storm Andrea moved quickly across south Georgia and was speeding through the Carolinas early Friday, promising sloppy commutes and waterlogged vacation getaways through the beginning of the weekend.

The first named storm of the Atlantic season lost some intensity late Thursday and by early Friday, its winds were down to 45 mph (75 kph).

Ben Nelson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jacksonville, said Andrea (pronounced AN'-dree-ah) was "moving at a pretty brisk pace" and could lose its tropical characteristics as early as Friday morning.

Derrec Becker with the South Carolina Emergency Management Division said the storm was near Walterboro in the southern part of the state at 6 a.m. Friday, moving to the northeast.

The storm had been nothing more than a severe thunderstorm so far, Becker said. No injuries were reported and there had been no reports of significant damage. Becker said some trees have been blown over.

However, forecasters warned the storm could cause isolated flooding and storm surge over the next two days.

Heavy rains were continuing well away from the storm's center. The weather service in Charleston, S.C., advised of "an enhanced coastal flooding threat near the high tide Friday morning," as well as of possible tornadoes. Rain bands could bring wind gusts in excess of 40 mph or 50 mph, the weather service said.

Early Friday, tropical storm warnings remained in effect for the East Coast from Altamaha Sound in Georgia to Cape Charles Light in Virginia, the Pamlico and Albemarle sounds and the lower Chesapeake Bay south of New Point Comfort. A tropical storm warning means tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere inside the warning area within a day and a half.

Rains and winds from the storm were forecast to sweep northward along the Southeastern U.S. coast Friday.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott had warned of the risk of tornadoes, and officials said that eight were confirmed across the state.

"This one fortunately is a fast-moving storm," he said Thursday. Slower-moving storms can pose a greater flood risk because they have more time to linger and dump rain.

In The Acreage, a part of Palm Beach County, Fla., pre-kindergarten teacher Maria Cristina Arias choked back tears and clutched valuable personal papers as she surveyed the damage done by a tornado to her five-bedroom home when she was away. Windows were smashed and a neighbor's shed had crashed into her bedroom.

"It's all destroyed," she told The Palm Beach Post. "This is unbelievable. I don't know what we're going to do."

Her 19-year-old son, Christian, was sleeping when he heard a loud noise.

"It was really scary," said the teen, who wasn't hurt. "It sounded like something exploded. I didn't know what was going on."

Meanwhile, south Georgia residents were bracing for high winds and heavy rains that could lead to flooding.

On CumberlandIsland off the Georgia cost, the National Park Service was evacuating campers as the storm approached Thursday.

Forecasters were predicting the storm would pass through Georgia overnight, and the island would likely re-open to tourists Friday.

"It looks like it's picking up speed and that's a good thing because it won't sit and rain on us so long," said Jan Chamberlain, whose family runs the Blue Heron Inn Bed & Breakfast near the Sapelo Island Ferry station on Georgia's coast, on Thursday.

In the Carolinas, Andrea's biggest threat was heavy rain, with as much as 6 inches expected, the weather service said.

Forecasters didn't expect major problems, however, along the most vulnerable parts of the coast such as the Outer Banks, a popular tourist destination.

John Elardo, a meteorologist with the weather service in Newport, N.C., said the storm would push major waves to the north and northeast, away from the Outer Banks, where storms in the fall and winter wore away dunes and washed out portions of N.C. Highway 12, the only road connecting the barrier island to the mainland of North Carolina.

Andrea could bring up to a foot of flooding on the sound side of the Outer Banks, Elardo said.

The rain threatened to ruin a beach day for Angela Hursh, 41, of Cincinnati, who had rented a house in Frisco, N.C. Hursh was planning Friday to soak in the hot tub and watch movies with her 9-year-old and 13-year-old daughters.

"I think we're just going to hunker down and eat junk food," Hursh said Thursday.

Doug Brindley, who owns a vacation lodging rental service on the northern end of the Outer Banks near Virginia, said Thursday he expects all outdoor activities to be washed out Friday, driving tens of thousands of early-summer vacationers toward unexpected shopping sprees.

"We're going to have rain and wind," said Brindley, who owns Brindley Beach Vacations and Sales. "Retailers are going to love it."

In Cuba, heavy rains associated with the storm system have soaked the western part of the island for the past several days, overflowing rivers and damaging crops. At least 30 towns were cut off by flooding, and more than 2,600 people sought refuge from the rising waters at relatives' homes or state-run shelters, the Communist Party newspaper Granma reported Thursday.

An earlier version of this story posted 5 p.m. Thursday:

MIAMI — The first named storm of the Atlantic season hammered Florida with rain, heavy winds, and tornadoes Thursday as it moved toward the coast of Georgia and the Carolinas, promising sloppy commutes and waterlogged vacation getaways through the beginning of the weekend.

Tropical Storm Andrea made landfall about 5:40 p.m. EDT near Horseshoe Beach in the eastern Big Bend, according to the National Weather Service.

Tropical storm warnings were in effect for a large section of Florida's west coast from Boca Grande to the Ochlockonee River and for the East Coast from Flagler Beach all the way to Cape Charles Light in Virginia, and the lower Chesapeake Bay south of New Point Comfort. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within a day and a half.

As of 4 p.m. CDT on Thursday, Andrea was moving northeast at about 17 mph, and its maximum sustained winds had increased to near 65 mph.

Rains and winds from the storm were forecast to sweep northward along the Southeastern U.S. coast Thursday night and Friday. The storm was expected to lose steam by Saturday as it moves through the eastern United States, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said one of the biggest risks associated with the storm for Florida was the chance of tornadoes, eight of which had been confirmed Thursday across the state. Scott urged residents to remain vigilant.

"This one fortunately is a fast-moving storm," he said. Slower-moving storms can pose a greater flood risk because they have more time to linger and dump rain.

Another threat to Florida's coast was storm surge, said Eric Blake, a specialist at the Hurricane Center. The center said coastal areas from Tampa Bay north to the Aucilla River could see storm surge of 2 to 4 feet, if the peak surge coincides with high tide.

Gulf Islands National Seashore closed its campgrounds and the road that runs through the popular beach-front park Wednesday. The national seashore abuts Pensacola Beach and the park road frequently floods during heavy rains.

Altogether, 30 state parks closed their campgrounds in Florida.

Meanwhile, south Georgia residents were bracing for high winds and heavy rains that could lead to flooding.

On Cumberland Island off the Georgia cost, the National Park Service was evacuating campers as the storm approached.

Forecasters were predicting the storm would pass through Georgia overnight, and the island would likely re-open to tourists Friday.

"It looks like it's picking up speed and that's a good thing because it won't sit and rain on us so long," said Jan Chamberlain, whose family runs the Blue Heron Inn Bed & Breakfast near the Sapelo Island Ferry station on Georgia's coast.

In the Carolinas, Andrea's biggest threat was heavy rain, with as much as 6 inches expected, the National Weather Service said.

Forecasters didn't expect major problems, however, along the most vulnerable parts of the coast such as the Outer Banks, a popular tourist destination.

John Elardo, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Newport, N.C., said the storm would push major waves to the north and northeast, away from the Outer Banks, where a series of storms in the fall and winter wore away dunes and washed out portions of N.C. Highway 12, the only road connecting the barrier island to the mainland of North Carolina.

Andrea could bring up to a foot of flooding on the sound side of the Outer Banks, Elardo said.

The rain threatened to ruin a beach day Friday for Angela Hursh, 41, of Cincinnati, who had rented a house in Frisco, N.C. Hursh was planning to soak in the hot tub and watch movies with her 9-year-old and 13-year-old daughters.

Doug Brindley, who owns a vacation lodging rental service on the northern end of the Outer Banks near Virginia, said he expects all outdoor activities to be washed out Friday, driving tens of thousands of early-summer vacationers toward unexpected shopping sprees.

"We're going to have rain and wind," said Brindley, who owns Brindley Beach Vacations and Sales. "Retailers are going to love it."

He expects new visitors streaming south from their homes across the U.S. Northeast to arrive tired and grumpy.

"They're going to be driving through that mess," Brindley said.

In Cuba, heavy rains associated with the storm system have soaked the western part of the island for the past several days, overflowing rivers and damaging crops. At least 30 towns were cut off by flooding, and more than 2,600 people sought refuge from the rising waters at relatives' homes or state-run shelters, the Communist Party newspaper Granma reported Thursday.

MIAMI (AP) — The first named storm of the Atlantic season pelted Florida's Gulf Coast with rain and wind Thursday as it edged toward the coast of Georgia and the Carolinas, promising sloppy commutes and waterlogged vacation getaways.

Tropical Storm Andrea was not expected to strengthen into a hurricane but it already had generated numerous tornadoes in Florida and forecasters warned it could cause isolated flooding and storm surge before it loses its steam over the next two days.

Tropical storm warnings were in effect for a large section of Florida's west coast from Boca Grande to Indian Pass and for the East Coast from Flagler Beach, Fla., all the way to Cape Charles Light in Virginia, and the lower Chesapeake Bay south of New Point Comfort. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within a day and a half.

As of 2 p.m. EDT Thursday, the storm was centered about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Apalachicola, Fla., and was moving northeast about 17 mph (28 kph).

Andrea's maximum sustained winds increased to near 60 mph (95 kph) and the storm was expected to make landfall in Florida's Big Bend area Thursday afternoon before moving across southeastern Georgia and the Carolinas.

"I'm not ready," said Bruce Berger, 71, a retiree who lives in Tallahassee.

"I've got to get that way though. All of the prevention things you're supposed to do, I haven't done 'em yet. I'd better start pretty soon, hadn't I?"

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said one of the biggest risks associated with the storm for Florida was the chance of tornadoes, eight of which had been confirmed Thursday across the state. Scott urged residents to remain vigilant.

"This one fortunately is a fast-moving storm," he said. Slower-moving storms can pose a greater flood risk because they have more time to linger and dump rain.

Another threat to Florida's coast was storm surge, said Eric Blake, a hurricane specialist at the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami. The hurricane center said coastal areas from Tampa Bay north to Apalachicola could see storm surge of 2 to 5 feet, depending on the storm's progress and timing of high tide.

Gulf Islands National Seashore closed its campgrounds and the road that runs through the popular beach-front park Wednesday. The national seashore abuts Pensacola Beach and the park road frequently floods during heavy rains.

Altogether, 30 state parks closed their campgrounds in Florida.

Meanwhile, south Georgia residents were bracing for high winds and heavy rains that could lead to flooding.

On Cumberland Island off the Georgia cost, the National Park Service was evacuating campers as the storm approached.

Forecasters were predicting the storm would pass through Georgia overnight, and the island would likely re-open to tourists Friday.

"It looks like it's picking up speed and that's a good thing because it won't sit and rain on us so long," said Jan Chamberlain, whose family runs the Blue Heron Inn Bed & Breakfast near the Sapelo Island Ferry station on Georgia's coast.

In the Carolinas, Andrea's biggest threat was heavy rain, with as much as 6 inches expected, the National Weather Service said.

Forecasters didn't expect major problems, however, along the most vulnerable parts of the coast such as the Outer Banks, a popular tourist destination.

John Elardo, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Newport, N.C., said the storm would push major waves to the north and northeast, away from the Outer Banks, where a series of storms in the fall and winter wore away dunes and washed out portions of N.C. Highway 12, the only road connecting the barrier island to the mainland of North Carolina.

Andrea could bring up to a foot of flooding on the sound side of the Outer Banks, Elardo said.

The rain threatened to ruin a beach day Friday for Angela Hursh, 41, of Cincinnati, who had rented a house in Frisco, N.C. Hursh was planning to soak in the hot tub and watch movies with her 9-year-old and 13-year-old daughters.

Doug Brindley, who owns a vacation lodging rental service on the northern end of the Outer Banks near Virginia, said he expects all outdoor activities to be washed out Friday, driving tens of thousands of early-summer vacationers toward unexpected shopping sprees.

"We're going to have rain and wind," said Brindley, who owns Brindley Beach Vacations and Sales. "Retailers are going to love it."

He expects new visitors streaming south from their homes across the U.S. Northeast to arrive tired and grumpy.

"They're going to be driving through that mess," Brindley said.

In Cuba, heavy rains associated with the storm system have soaked the western part of the island for the past several days, overflowing rivers and damaging crops. At least 30 towns were cut off by flooding, and more than 2,600 people sought refuge from the rising waters at relatives' homes or state-run shelters, the Communist Party newspaper Granma reported Thursday.

11 a.m. Update

APALACHICOLA — Tropical Storm Andrea is expected to make landfall between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday near Taylor County, a time frame officials hope will help alleviate storm surge and flooding in Gulf and Franklincounties.

Tom Durham, public information officer with FranklinCountyEmergency Management, said because the forecasted landfall is during low tide, the storm surge is not expected to be severe.

“That will help us tremendously, so we can expect the surge between 2 and 4 feet at max,” said Durham, who noted the surge level is measured on top of the normal tide. “Hopefully what we’re seeing here is going to be mainly rainfall.”

FranklinCountySchools closed early upon advice from emergency management officials, as heavy rainfall and winds up to 55 miles an hour are expected to hit the coast this afternoon.

Durham said isolated areas of FranklinCounty already had received several inches of rain Thursday morning.

“We’re just asking people to understand there’s a lot of rain coming down and there’s going to be a lot of water on the roads,” Durham said. “At this point in time it is a water event with moderate winds. If you’re moving around, move with caution and as always anytime with rain, slow down.”

Durham said Andrea should be clear from the area by Friday.

An earlier version of this story posted at 9:50 a.m.:

MIAMI — Heavy rain was pouring across much of Florida early Thursday as the first tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season headed toward the state's western coast and a new tropical storm warning was issued for a swath of the U.S. East Coast, including parts of Franklin County.

Tropical storm warnings were in effect for a large section of Florida's west coast from Boca Grande to Indian Pass and for the East Coast from Flagler Beach to Cape Charles Light in Virginia. Coastal Franklin County, including Apalachicola and St. George Island, are included in the warning.

Tropical Storm Andrea's maximum sustained winds increased to near 60 mph and the storm was expected to make landfall in Florida's Big Bend area Thursday afternoon before moving across southeastern Georgia and the Carolinas. It was not expected to strengthen into a hurricane.

"The rain covers a good portion of the Florida peninsula even though the center is a couple of hundred miles off shore," said Eric Blake, a hurricane specialist at the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

With heavy rain possible as Andrea moves north, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Tallahassee issued a flash flood watch through Friday morning for Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Franklin and Jackson counties. Carrabelle saw 4.5 inches of rain fall over a 5-hour period Thursday morning, the county emergency manager reported to the NWS.

All Florida Panhandle beaches are under a high surf advisory until Thursday night, and double-red flags were flying on all Bay County beaches, meaning the water is off-limits.

Skies were expected to clear over the Panhandle by Friday evening, with mostly sunny skies over the weekend. A trough will remain in place over the weekend, enhancing thunderstorm chances to 40 mph, mostly in the afternoon.

Even before its center hit Florida, the storm disrupted graduation ceremonies at Clearwater's Countryside High School, where the Class of 2013 was supposed to graduate Thursday morning at Brighthouse Field, the spring training home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Principal Gerald Schlereth decided to move the ceremony to the high school's gymnasium. But the gym wouldn't accommodate the nearly 500 graduates, friends, families and school officials. So it was decided that the seniors would graduate in two sessions.

"You have to have a Plan B when weather is involved," said Ocy Ertzberger, head bookkeeper at the school of 2,400 students. "Students with last names A through L will graduate at 9:30 and students with last names M through Z will graduate at 11:30 a.m."

The split sessions would likely mean double-duty for the valedictorian, salutatorian and other graduation speakers.

Meanwhile, south Georgia residents were bracing for heavy rains that could lead to flooding.

Forecasters at the National Weather Service said heavy rains and flooding would be the main threats in Georgia, but isolated tornadoes also were possible.

"It looks like it's picking up speed and that's a good thing because it won't sit and rain us so long," said Jan Chamberlain, whose family runs the Blue Heron Inn Bed & Breakfast near the Sapelo Island Ferry station on Georgia's coast Thursday morning.

In Florida, storm surge was expected to be the biggest threat as the storm comes onshore, Blake said. The Hurricane Center expects a storm surge of 2 to 4 feet "near and to the south" of where the center makes landfall.

He added that flash flooding was a concern, with 3 to 6 inches of rain expected. Isolated areas in Florida and southeastern Georgia could get 8 inches of rain.

Already, the National Weather Service in Tampa confirmed two tornados touched down early Thursday — one in Myakka City and the other in Sun City Center. Meteorologist Rodney Wynn said there were reports of downed tree limbs and power lines and minor damage to the porch on at least one home. There were no reports of injuries.

Wynn said there have also been reports of minor flooding in the area, including along Tampa's Bayshore Drive.

Tornado warnings and watches could be issued throughout the day.

The storm was expected to hug the coastline, bringing rain as far as the southern New England area through the weekend.

As of about 8 a.m. EDT Thursday, the storm was centered about 160 miles (255 kilometers) west of Tampa and was moving north-northeast near 14 mph (22 kph).

In Florida, Gulf Islands National Seashore closed its campgrounds and the road that runs through the popular beach-front park Wednesday. The national seashore abuts Pensacola Beach and the park road frequently floods during heavy rains. On Pensacola Beach, condominium associations asked people to remove furniture on high balconies because of the expected high winds and beach lifeguards warned tourists of possible high surf.

In Alabama, authorities said that 13 people had to be rescued from rough surf kicked up by the storm Wednesday at beaches in two coastal towns. Most of those rescued did not require medical treatment.

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